Domaine Christine, Elodie et Patrick Chalmeau

Wine producers since Marcel, grandfather of current owner Patrick, created the estate after the Second World War, the Chalmeau family welcome visitors in their old-fashioned vaulted cellar. The estate, which today extends to 42 acres, is centred around Chitry-le-Fort, a charming village in the Yonne, close to Chablis. The family also rents out a self-catering cottage situated in the heart of the village, which can accommodate up to six people, and is run by Christine and Patrick Chalmeau, with the help of their daughter Elodie.

The estate and the self-catering cottage

Wine-growing estate

With its thirty-seven acres distributed across the Chitry and Chablisien vineyards, Domaine Chalmeau produces different wines under different appellations. Its wines have been awarded medals on several occasions since 2005, and its white Bourgogne Chitry 2008 and Chablis 2008 were both awarded the Silver Medal at this year’s Concours Général Agricole. Other wines produces by the estate include Bourgogne Aligoté, red Bourgogne Chitry, Chablis 1er Cru “Montmains” and a Crémant de Bourgogne.

Self-catering cottage

Opened in 2005, the cottage was awarded a 3 épis rating in the Gîte de France scale, and can accommodate up to six people. It is fully-equipped, and has amongst other things a washing machine, a dishwasher, a microwave oven, a TV, garden furniture and an outdoor grill. The cottage can be rented by the night, the week-end or the week. Contact the Chalmeau family for more details.

Chitry-le-Fort and its surrounding area

Chitry is an old village which probably dates back to the Roman era, and lies about ten miles south-east of Auxerre. Its main noteworthy structure is its 13th-century church, which was fortified a century later with the construction of a large circular tower. As the village itself was never fortified, this tower represented the villagers’ last line of defence.

The village is known principally for its wines, and indeed has its own appellation. It is also a very pleasant area to discover on foot or on a bicycle, and there are many trails and paths intended for that purpose, for instance along the Yonne and Nivernais canals, which also provide opportunities for tourist activities on the rivers themselves.

The nearby town of Auxerre possesses many attractions in terms of culture, gastronomy and leisure, and is therefore well worth a visit, whether it be for a day, a week-end or even longer. Its Saint-Etienne Cathedral, for instance, is a superb site which History and architecture lovers must not miss.